AIADMK stages walkout from Salem Corporation council meeting

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) councillors staged a walkout from the Salem Corporation council meeting on Friday (July 25, 2025), alleging that corporation officials are creating revenue loss for the civic body.

Salem Corporation Mayor A. Ramachandran presided over the meeting during which 75 resolutions were passed.

Speaking at the meeting, ward 22 councillor (AIADMK) K.C. Selvaraj said that citing deviation in works carried out in wards 22 and 24, the Salem Corporation revised the tender amount and created a loss for the civic body. The corporation should constitute a committee including the councillors to inquire into this. Stating that the two ward councillors belong to AIADMK, the officials are cheating them, he alleged.

Ward 32 councillor (DMK) K. Bowmika Thapsira said that the sewage water from the public toilets behind the VOC market flows on the road and corporation officials do not remove the encroachments in the ward.

Ward 34 councillor (DMK) Esan Elango said that online food delivery companies are providing food in plastic containers. The Salem Corporation should bring a change and should make them serve the food in eco-friendly, alternative ways. It will be the best example for other corporations in the State, he added.

While speaking in the meeting, ward 9 councillor V. Deivalingam alleged that AIADMK IT wing personnel were covering the council meeting along with media persons. When the AIADMK councillors opposed this, it turned into a verbal duel between the two party councillors. Later, the Mayor intervened and pacified both sides.

DMK and AIADMK councillors engaged in an argument during the Salem Corporation council meeting July 25, 2025
| Photo Credit:
E. Lakshmi Narayanan

Opposition leader (AIADMK) N. Yadhavamoorthy said that due to wrong policies of Salem Corporation in providing tenders for the shops in VOC market, Salem Corporation is facing a loss of ₹8 crore each year. In the pretext of deviation, the corporation officials increased the tender cost in all works. 

Replying to these allegations, corporation officials clarified that during the course of work, there are chances for an increase in cost and it will be under the price of the estimation of the project. 

But, unsatisfied with the answers, the AIADMK councillors staged a walkout from the meeting.